How could he be so clueless?Evangeline's heart belonged to Alex, yet Walter poured out his feelings to her like she would actually care. Walter was just humiliating himself at this point, was he not?"Eight in the morning, I'll swing by the villa to get you. That's it for now, I need to sleep."Walter's frosty words were a sharp reminder that she had interrupted his rest. Evangeline quickly agreed and hung up, her heart heavy.The phone lay silent, but Evangeline's heart was anything but. Walter's words haunted her in echoes, confirming she had not misheard.Her heart unexpectedly missed a beat, and a wave of disappointment and loss washed over her. Walter clearly did not want her; his words were only for the sake of the baby.With a reason for everything, Evangeline fought through her heartache and finally drifted off to a restless sleep.After a night of tossing and turning, Evangeline dabbed on just enough makeup to look alive. She was careful to use only pregnancy-safe prod
Trying to ignore his rumbling stomach, Walter suddenly spotted a mouthwatering sandwich in front of him, and behind it, Evangeline's resigned expression."Mrs. Lewis packed these, worrying I'd get peckish on the road. Have one to hold you over."It was not that Evangeline was worried about Walter, in essence. She just felt bad for the guy—he was only this famished because of her.Walter shook his head. "No, you keep it."Evangeline was expecting, and if her nanny had thought to pack snacks, it meant she probably needed to eat frequently.He did not want to scarf down the sandwich and leave her hungry later.Walter did his best to keep his cravings in check, eyes glued to the windshield, watching the road. He even toned down his breathing to avoid being seduced by the scent.Evangeline knew he would not just take her word for it, so she pushed the sandwich into his hand."Go on, eat. Mrs. Lewis made plenty, and we won't miss one. We've got a bit before we'll get to eat at Grandp
Had Evangeline and Walter patched things up and had come to give him the news?Cole's eyes lingered on Walter's cheerful face. The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that his hunch was right."I've actually got some great news for you today!""What's the great news?" Cole asked, already forming his own theory. "Did you and Walter patch things up and decide to stay together?"Their relationship had always been a sore spot for him.Walter was not related to the Foster family, so Cole did not worry about him as much. However, Evangeline was different. She was his only granddaughter. If she was not happy, he felt like he would never be able to rest easy, not even in his grave.Evangeline could not believe it. Despite Walter's heart-to-heart with Grandpa Cole, the old man still clung to the crazy idea that she and Walter were on the brink of divorce.Clearly, Walter's attempt at reassurance had fallen flat.However, finger-pointing could wait. She needed to squas
"Oh, come on! Grandpa is not out of his mind. He knows how to look after himself. Right, Grandpa?" Evangeline teased, casting a playful glance at her grandfather.Cole quickly replied, "You bet. For my great-grandchild, I'll do whatever it takes to stay healthy."Laughter filled the room once more; the family's happiness was infectious.Amid the laughter, Evangeline took a moment to really look at her grandfather. He used to have streaks of black in his hair, but after his illness, it was all silver, making him seem so much older.Before she walked in, her uncles had whispered concerns about Grandpa's sharpness slipping. She had not believed them then. However, after just a few words with him, the playful, childlike glint in his eyes told her everything she needed to know.Cole was getting on in years, and the time for stubbornness had passed.Joyous moments always seemed to pass quickly. The Foster family was having a blast, and like they had all planned it, each person showed o
"Well then, if you say so, what more could I ask for? I'm just looking forward to welcoming my precious great-grandchild and basking in familial happiness!" Cole imagined the joyful future, his eyes narrowing into a contented smile.Evangeline felt a weight lift off her shoulders, knowing she had finally won her grandfather's approval. However, another thought then struck her. "Grandpa, as the head of the family, it's not right to play favorites, is it?"Cole looked puzzled, "Play favorites? When have I ever done that?"Cole had always doted on Evangeline, his granddaughter. If there was ever a case of playing favorites, she was definitely the golden child. Somehow, she still was not happy."You're always on my case about having kids with Walter, but what about my five uncles? You're not exactly rushing them down the aisle. Isn't that a bit unfair?" she challenged.Cole let out a weary sigh."Those uncles of yours? They march to the beat of their own drums. I can't make heads or
Walter had a good grasp of Evangeline's uncles' situation. Each one was a catch but without a girlfriend, which clearly meant they were not looking for love. Was this something Evangeline could change with a simple pitch?"Come on, do I look like I have that kind of time on my hands? To play matchmaker for Grandpa's amusement?"Evangeline shot Walter a sidelong glance, but the memory of their little performance in front of Cole zapped her confidence. "Look, our mess is unique. I've pretty much given up on our shot at a happy ending, so let's just make sure the rest of the family gets theirs. If Grandpa ever gets wind of our drama, maybe the others' bliss will cushion the blow for him."She was trying to give her grandpa an emotional Band-Aid before he ever needed it. Next on her list was to tackle the love lives of her uncles, starting with Yale and her best friend, Roslyn. The thought perked her right up, washing away the gloom.However, Walter was hung up on the whole 'given up h
David's cheeks burned with shame. He was the right-hand man to the big boss of Gordon Group, and he would just be booted out of the office for all to see. How was he supposed to show his face?However, when it came down to it, facing Walter's icy glare, David did not think twice before he made a beeline for the exit.He shut the office door behind him, leaving only a door between him and Walter. Leaning against the cool wood, he breathed a sigh of relief and dabbed at the sweat breaking out on his forehead. In his head, he could not help but shout, 'Who in the world ticked off the boss this time?!'The boss's mood swings were like a roller coaster, making life difficult for everyone trying to do their jobs.The chill from the boss's office did not take long to reach the secretaries. The head of the department stared at the hefty stack of papers in her hands, feeling stuck between a rock and a hard place.Lately, Walter had been all over the place emotionally, and the secretaries w
Anyone else would be fuming if they were the subject of such talk.Minnie had been playing the long game at the office. She timed her moves perfectly and swooped in when everyone else steered clear of Walter.She was stirring the pot, hoping to get tongues wagging. After all, if the whole office started buzzing about her and Walter being more than just colleagues, Walter would find it a lot harder to cut her loose.She pretended to be all flustered but secretly thrilled as she picked up a stack of papers and sashayed into the office.The moment Minnie learned that Walter and Evangeline were done, she hatched a plan. She was going to make her move while Walter was down in the dumps, and she was going to make sure he fell head over heels for her.That way, she would lock down the title of Mrs. Gordon of the Gordon family for good. Evangeline, that snake, would be forced out with no way back into the fold.Kicking her own half-sister to the curb did not even make Minnie blink. She b